Lemonade stand to buy video games?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It isn't realistic to expect him to raise enough money for a video game system.

Have you checked out buying a used system or older version? Aim for that. Older xbox or playstation.

Perhaps suggest cutting streaming services for a bit to save money towards the system. If you can't afford the system, you'll have issues also paying for the games.

This. You are setting up a frustrating and failure situation.

Kids in our neighborhood will hold yard sales and sell old toys and books or their parents list them on neighborhood FB groups.

[Anonymous]

I think it's great that you're still encouraging him to work for a gaming system even if it's a lofty goal. Maybe it'll take longer than his 12th birthday but it'll mean so much if he earns it himself. The OP made it clear that they don't have the money to pay for it outright so I don't know why posters are suggesting they just do that.

Are there a lot of young families in your neighborhood? Maybe he could create a Valentine's day treat for parents to surprise their kids. Like two cupcakes or.hot chocolate bombs and a Valentine's day craft (homemade Play-Doh with cookie cutters). He could deliver the night before Valentine's day.

I know you said he's not interested in being a mother's helper but could he offer to help with class vday cards? Like you provide the class list and I'll sit and help your kids write out all the names.

[Anonymous]

He won’t raise much doing a lemonade stand.

The selling things idea is good.

Our 12 year old makes money by doing handyman/yard type stuff for us and his grandparents. Maybe you could think of some things he could do to earn $10-20 a week or maybe you have a relative who needs some things done—leaf cleanup/weeding/etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 11 year old son desperately wants a video game system that is out of our budget. We told him we would pay half for his upcoming 12th birthday. He has been saving his allowance, but he is still a long way off. He came up with the idea of doing a lemonade stand or a bake sale to earn some extra money, is that tacky? I thought about suggesting he try to do some yard work for neighbors, but quite frankly he is pretty small and not athletic, and just about everyone in our neighborhood uses private gardeners. He isn’t very comfortable being responsible for little kids so I don’t think a mothers helper would be a good idea either. He does love to cook and bake though. I have seen lemonade stands in our area, but I sort of always assumed it was raising money for charity. If you were the type to buy lemonade or cookies from a kid on a street corner, do you care if it’s for charity or his own video games?? Open to other ideas for him to make money that don’t involve us paying him for chores around the house - if we could afford that, we would just lend him the money outright!

I think unless you live in Florida or warm place people do not want to drink lemonade in January. Personally I don't ask why the kid is selling and it wouldn't bother me if it was for a video game. I don't know why people would be judge. Can he sell some of his older toys? Maybe tell your neighbors and he can have a mini yard sale? Then you can have baked goods for sale too

[Anonymous]

Agree lemonade in Jan is not great. We baked brownies and sold them around the neighborhood when I was a kid (door to door) and lemonade in the summer.

Personally I don’t love when the stands are fundraising for charity. That’s nice and all but always seems more like an adult’s idea. I buy anyway since I try to stop anytime I see a lemonade stand. But I like the idea of them doing it to earn their own money much better honestly. But then prices should be like 50 cents not $1 too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It isn't realistic to expect him to raise enough money for a video game system.

Have you checked out buying a used system or older version? Aim for that. Older xbox or playstation.

Perhaps suggest cutting streaming services for a bit to save money towards the system. If you can't afford the system, you'll have issues also paying for the games.

This, OP. Have you looked into all the associated expenses? Most games are expensive, and many (and possibly all on some systems) require a monthly paid subscription as well as a good internet connection.

As for selling stuff, waiting until summer makes more sense, and depending on where you live I'd consider getting some bottled waters and packaged chips and selling those. I don't think he needs to announce that he's saving for a gaming system, but most people understand that kids are trying to make money. But there are also sometimes rules about selling stuff on the street.

[Anonymous]

I’m internally roll my eyes when these little kids have signs saying a percentage is donated to charity. Earn and keep the money. That’s the point of a lemonade stand.

Maybe a hot chocolate stand since it’s winter?

Kids in my neighborhood make a lot of money with lemonade stands in the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It isn't realistic to expect him to raise enough money for a video game system.

Have you checked out buying a used system or older version? Aim for that. Older xbox or playstation.

Perhaps suggest cutting streaming services for a bit to save money towards the system. If you can't afford the system, you'll have issues also paying for the games.

+1

What are you going to do about the games and other accessories? We’ve spent at least $1000 on a Switch over the years. The console. The games. The pro controllers. The extra joycons so we could all play. Amiibos. Downloads. Whatever. Be sure about what you are signing up for. It’s not just the console.

[Anonymous]

You can get used games or sign up for alerts about deals (deku deals). We buy games slowly and get them 1/2 off and put away for the next birthday. You also only need online account for some games- but definitely for minecraft.

[Anonymous]

My pre-teen earned some money as a pet-sitter. He would stop in and clean a litterbox, refresh water, and open a can of food for the neighbor's cat.

[Anonymous]

I pay the teenagers near me for babysitting (you already said no), caring for my pets when I'm away and for wrapping my kids Christmas gifts.

Your kid could have a hot cocoa stand and even mention they want a video game. I would certainly give more if I know the kid has a goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I think it’s great for kids (or anyone) to raise money for charity (via lemonade stands or otherwise), I don’t think they are under any obligation to do so.

I don’t associate lemonade stands with charity, but I do associate them with kids. If I buy lemonade from a child, I’m doing it to support the child, which I believe is a worthy cause in itself. I think it’s probably a lot of work for relatively little reward, but can teach them a lot about juggling costs, gross vs. net income, market demand, etc. I want a child to feel their efforts or rewarded. Basically, a lemonade stand, is an introduction to capitalism, which is all about the individual benefiting from their efforts.

Of course, he shouldn’t misrepresent himself as raising money for a charity. Also, I think he should set prices, rather than using the pricing strategies I’ve seen in recent years asking people to pay/contribute as they want. Personally, I resent it when charities do this, it’s a manipulative guilt trip. I wind up paying ridiculous amounts for something and still feel guilty about it. If an individual was doing this, it would be even more discouraging.

I say if he earns the money he should be able to spend it on whatever he wants, including a video game.

This!!!!
I had lemonade stands and babysat as a kid to make money. Plain and simple.

[Anonymous]

Dog walking? My neighborhood has a ton of dogs and most people are pretty amenable to having the responsible kids around here walk them. I’d love for a kid to walk mine especially on a nasty, rainy day like today. And if it’s them to do it.

[Anonymous]

And I’d pay them to do it, that last line should say

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't stop my car to buy lemonade, but I might stop if there were cookies. At least I can take those with me. If I saw a kid with a sign saying he was trying to raise money to buy a video game system, I'd probably find that amusing and be more inclined to stop.